I won’t Holt back even against the Invincibles

Gary Holt knows all about the punishment a superior team can inflict after he tried to go toe to toe with Arsenal’s Invincibles in his playing days.

But he’ll still refuse to send his Livingston team out to sit back today against a Celtic side that also went unbeaten two seasons ago.

Premiership surprise packages Livi earned plenty of respect for the graft and guile that took them into the top three earlier this season.

The manager insists he won’t change who they are, despite the Hoops firing a 20-goal salvo in their last four league games.

He said: “Let’s not sugar-coat it, they’re an exceptional side and they could win a triple Treble.

“We know what we’re up against – but we’re going to have a go, play our style of football and get in their faces.

“We’ll try to upset them and attempt to win the game.

“They can bang in goals whether you play open, expansive football or sit in.

“But I’m a firm believer that if I go toe to toe with my man and try to dictate him to the best of my ability, I’m happy with that.

“Give a team like Celtic, with exceptional players, time and space on the ball and they will kill you.”

Holt was Norwich’s player of the season when they were promoted back to the English top flight in 2004 - and one of their early rewards was a clash with an Arsene Wenger side undefeated in 43 league games.

He winced as he recalled: “They were the best. Actually, for the first 25 minutes, we were the better side. They could have had Lauren sent off in a last-man type scenario. He was booked.

“I actually looked up at the clock and thought, ‘We’re doing alright here, we’re in the game’. But at half-time it was 3-0.

“That is just the difference when you switch off for a split second, they’re away and you’re done because they were exceptional players.

“Gilberto Silva was in the team, Cesc Fabregas, Robert Pires – and Thierry Henry was the difference.

“At one of the goals, he kicked the ball and ran past four of us. We were shouting ‘Somebody bring him down’ but nobody did.

“We were too honest, same as we are here. We had people being very honest last Saturday by trying to tackle properly.

“You’re thinking ‘Take him down, be cynical, be professional, be dishonest in a way.’

“I can’t fault my players for being honest. It’s just experience. We’re at a level where the fine lines mean you can’t get away with it.

“Last season you might have got away with it. The year before you would definitely have got away with it.

“But you’re at a level of quality now where you have to be cuter and we’ll need a high level of cuteness against Celtic.

“I’ve been in many games where I’ve had my backside skelped by sitting off teams because they were far better than us.

“I’ve also been skelped by going and pressing against teams.

“You need every single player to be on his game.

“It’s doing your job in the team. It might not be the one you’re used to or the most eye-catching role but if you’re helping your team-mates you’ll get results.”